I-beam track with a Separate attachment portion

ABSTRACT

A dual sided extrusion, where one side has a different shape than the other side, and the extrusion is intended to be used in different orientations depending on the application.

This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No.61/165,435, filed Mar. 31, 2009, the entire contents of which areherewith incorporated by reference. This application also claimspriority under 35 USC 120 from application Ser. No. 12/749,352, filedMar. 29, 2010, the entire contents of which are herewith incorporated byreference.

BACKGROUND

In stage environments, it is often desirable to hang the items from theceiling. For example, different winches and other items may be hung fromsupport structures on a ceiling. A first winch for example may rollalong a track in order to move to move the things it holds, e..g,scenery, to different places.

Different support structures may be used including a I beam, and others.

Devices can also be mounted to move along tracks in the floor, forexample a knife edge or a so-called “dog”. For example, a track may beformed in the floor, where scenery can move along and be supported bythe track in the floor.

Different structural elements are often used for different purposes. Forexample, a rolling winch may be attached to an I-beam connection on theceiling. Moving scenery may be attached to moving elements on the floor.This necessitates, however, that workers setting up the stage haveadequate stock of many different supports.

SUMMARY

The present application refers to a track extrusion with two differentstructural formats and which mounts in two different directionsdepending on the desired format.

In an embodiment, both sides of an extrusion form either or both of loadconnection sides or attachment sides.

Another embodiment describes a special clamp for holding multipledifferent forms.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a track extrusion according to an embodiment; and

FIG. 2 shows an application of the different extrusions, and a specialclamp for the extrusions.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows a cross-section of a double-sided track element 100. Itshould be understood from the cross-section in FIG. 1 that the trackextends along an elongated axis. The track may be fabricated in pre-madelengths, e.g., 8 foot, 12 foot, 16 foot, and other lengths. Most or allof the track has the cross sectional format shown in FIG. 1.

The track extrusion 100 has a first I-beam side 110, and a second cavitybased side 120. In an embodiment the track extrusion can be used witheither side configured to hold items such as stage scenery. Inembodiments, both sides are also configured to be connected to astructural support, e.g., a truss or ceiling support.

The first side 110 is an I-beam style side. In this embodiment, thetrack may be connected for example to a ceiling. Then, the surface 112forms an I-beam shaped surface. Devices can be attached to and slidealong the surfaces 112, in the same way that they would slide all alongthe surface of an I-beam.

The second side 120 can be used for example by connections made on thefirst side 110. In this embodiment, screws or bolts 102, 103 can beconnected through the I-beam side to hold it into place to a support. Asan alternative, the second side 120 can be used for support byconnecting for example to a connection surface 134 on either side of thesecond side. The second side forms a cup shaped part, which includes acavity 131. Inside the cavity, there are coupled portions such as 122which may allow the device to be used with the opening 132 of the cavityfacing downward, allowing devices to roll along the surface 122. Inaddition, however, this can be used as a part in for example a stagefloor, where the opening 132 faces up, and this forms a track in thestage. In this way, the same extrusion device 100 can be used both foroverhead hanging, and also for floor mounted devices.

The cavity portion forms a cavity 131 which forms a captive portiontherein. The captive portion is formed by the distance between thesidewalls 136, 137 being larger than the opening 132 to the cavity. Theopening 132 is formed by inwardly facing elements which face inward andform two portions which extend inward relative to the two sides of thecavity. Therefore, when a device is placed within the cavity 131, and islarger than the opening 132, it becomes captive within the cavity andcannot be removed from the cavity except at ends of the extrusion.

In an embodiment, a unistrut style nut 123 is held within the cavity.The unistrut nut 123 may include substantially parallel side surfaceswhich press against inner surfaces 136, 137 of the inner surface of thecavity. The nut 123 includes a central threaded portion 124, and aspring 126 pressing the nut against the surfaces 122. The sides of thenut are held against the inner surfaces 136 so that it cannot rotate.

In addition, narrower surfaces can be formed as 141, so that a devicecan ride on those narrow surfaces 141. The distance between the narrowersurfaces 141 for example is less than the distance between the surfaces112 of the I-beam.

Therefore, this device 100 takes the place of multiple different tracks.This device also can, for the first time, be used in different locationsand orientations, and take the place of many different kinds of support.The single part can be mounted overhead on a stage. The part can also bemounted inside a floor. Therefore, this device takes the place of twodifferent tracks.

Also, by mounting in one direction, a mounting may allow connectionacross the outer edge surfaces 122. By mounting in another direction,the same device can be mounted on inner surfaces 122.

FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment showing how the extrusion 100 can beused. This embodiment holds the extrusion using a clamp that has twodifferent sets of surfaces for the different sides of the extrusion.

In the FIG. 2 embodiment, a truss 210 includes a clamp 200. Thisembodiment uses a special clamp which can be configured to hold eitherside of the extrusion 100. The extrusion 201 on the left side of thedrawing is being held by the cavity side of the extrusion, with theI-beam side of the extrusion holding the load. In this embodiment, the Ibeam surfaces 112 face upward. An I-beam trolley 122, of the typedescribed in our copending application Ser. No. 61/176,692, filed May 8,2009, rides along those surfaces. The I-beam trolley 122 includes spacedwheels 123, 124. Those wheels press against, and allow movement relativeto, the tangent point of surface 112 of the I-beam side. The I-beamtrolley 122 also includes a connection portion 126 at its lowermostpart, which can hold something to ride against the I-beam e.g. a pieceof scenery or the like.

The clamp 200 holds either side of the extrusion using two movable sidepieces 202, 203. Each movable side piece includes dual surfaces,including the first surface 204 which is a first distance from the stopsurface 205, and the second surface 223. The distance between thesurfaces 204 and 205 is substantially equal to the height between thebottom of most surface 144 of the cavity, and the topmost surface 145 ofthe cavity. Therefore, the clamp can be tightened to the position shownin 201 to hold against the two surfaces 144,145 of the cavity, on bothsides 202, 203. The clamp can also be loosened to open between the firstside 202 and the second side 203, to allow removing the extrusion.

On the second side 221 of the drawing in FIG. 2, the clamp 222 isholding the I-beam side of the extrusion using the second surfaces 223.The second set of surfaces are spaced farther apart than the first setof surfaces 204 to accommodate the longer outer extent of the I beamside. The second set of surfaces are also closer to the stop surface 205than that first set of surfaces 204. The distance between the topsurface of the I-beam 111, and the riding surface of the I-beam 112 setsthe distance between the stop surface 205 and the second surface 223.Therefore, when the I-beam side of the beam is placed within the clampas shown in 222, the I-beam surfaces are held within a different portionof the clamp against different surfaces than those that hold the clampsurfaces. This allows the I-beam side to be held by the same clamp thatcan hold the cavity side.

In the embodiment, a trolley or scenery dog such as 229 is held on thecavity side on the side 221, as shown.

Although only a few embodiments have been disclosed in detail above,other embodiments are possible and the inventors intend these to beencompassed within this specification. The specification describesspecific examples to accomplish a more general goal that may beaccomplished in another way. This disclosure is intended to beexemplary, and the claims are intended to cover any modification oralternative which might be predictable to a person having ordinary skillin the art. For example, the embodiment shows a very specific formfactor, but other form factors can also be used.

Also, the inventor intends that only those claims which use the words“means for” are intended to be interpreted under 35 USC 112, sixthparagraph. Moreover, no limitations from the specification are intendedto be read into any claims, unless those limitations are expresslyincluded in the claims.

Where a specific numerical value is mentioned herein, it should beconsidered that the value may be increased or decreased by 20%, whilestill staying within the teachings of the present application, unlesssome different range is specifically mentioned. Where a specifiedlogical sense is used, the opposite logical sense is also intended to beencompassed.

The previous description of the disclosed exemplary embodiments isprovided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use thepresent invention. Various modifications to these exemplary embodimentswill be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the genericprinciples defined herein may be applied to other embodiments withoutdeparting from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, the presentinvention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown hereinbut is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principlesand novel features disclosed herein.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method, comprising: first using a structuralextrusion in a first direction hanging from a ceiling where an I-beamshaped portion faces down and holds a load; and second using the samestructural extrusion in a second direction mounted in a floor, where anopen cavity faces up and holds a load.
 2. A method as in claim 1,wherein said first using comprises mounting from the open cavity, andwhere said second using comprises mounting from the I-beam portion.
 3. Amethod as in claim 1, wherein said first using comprises using a captivenut, which held within said open cavity between sidewalls of said cavityportion, in a way that prevents said nut from rotating inside saidcavity portion.
 4. A method as in claim 1, further comprising using thesame clamp to hold said extrusion in said first direction and in saidsecond direction.